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August 3, 2014

G111: Yankees 8, Red Sox 7

The Red Sox blew leads of 3-0 and 7-4 and lost the rubber game of the series to the Yankees. Boston had zero hits over the final five innings.

Clay Buchholz (5-8-7-5-5, 114) allowed seven runs in five innings for the second consecutive start. He has allowed 22 runs in his last 22 innings (four starts).

The night began on a happy note as Boston forced David Phelps (2-6-5-2-0, 53) to throw 32 pitches in the first inning. Daniel Nava's two-run, bases-loaded single was the big blow. But Buchholz immediately gave the three runs back.

Dustin Pedroia (three runs scored) cracked a two-run homer over the Wall in the second and Ortiz went deep in the fourth, giving Boston another three-run advantage.

Again, Buchholz faltered. He retired the first two batters in the top of the fifth, but then the Yankees went double, walk, RBI double, 2-run single - and the game was tied.

Brett Gardner - who ended the night a triple short of the cycle - homered over the Red Sox bullpen off Craig Breslow, giving New York its first and only lead of the night.

The Red Sox managed only two walks after the fourth inning - and they were both by Christian Vazquez, who also singled twice. The rookie catcher walked with one out in the sixth and drew a base on balls to start the bottom of the ninth. (Esmil Rogers pitched three scoreless innings for New York after Phelps and Chase Whitley combined to throw 105 pitches over the first four innings.)

Mookie Betts pinch-ran for Vazquez in the ninth. After a pitchout, Betts took off on a 1-1 pitch to Brock Holt, who smoked the ball directly at third baseman Chase Headley, who had no problem doubling Betts off first. Pedroia got ahead 3-0 and ended up fouling off four pitches, including one to deep left, before grounding out to shortstop to end the game.

Stephen Drew drove in four runs for the Yankees. Gardner drove in three.